Elementera Insanity

I'm not sure if I like the title or not...

A Child’s Voice

I shall not lie down and become your idol,
to bear the burden of your hopes and dreams.
I shall not lie down and become your vessel,
To be filled up with your fears and screams.

I am my own persona,
no golem of blood and bone.
I shall not walk in your footprints,
I must blaze a path of my own.

I do not ask you to lead me forward,
show me how to walk with purpose instead.
I ask you not to feed my soul or sense of self,
Rather teach me the means to keep both fed.

This is no easy task I ask of you,
to be a guide but not to lead.
I ask only that you walk at my side,
support, not relief, is what I need.

You are my source, my font, my home,
Yet what I build must be my own.
Teach and guide and share and love,
Have faith in me and what you’ve sown.

Anthropology teaches us that the limits of human knowledge and learning are actually increased by learning from the experiences and examples of others. 

Educational models and statistics show that the majority of us learn faster in true collaborative situations where learning comes in the form of give and take.

Playing games can teach us a variety of things, dependant on the type of game.  Anything from social interaction to logic and problem solving can be learned through the course of playing.

This brings me to World of Warcraft, which is by nature and design a collaborative game wherein players have the option of learning from the experiences and examples of others or exploring and learning on their own.   Within the game, specifically "End Game Content", players who have learned to play at least one defined role are thrust into a collaborative setting (ie. the raid) with at least one common goal (defeat the boss and get da' lootz!).  The players must then take their individual experiences and while playing with one another, learn how their fellow players in their specific roles can contribute to the end goal and how this all mixes.  Groups that do this with a certain degree of success reach their common goal and receive their reward(s).  Those who aren't able to do this wipe.  Regardless of the results, each individual can now take what they have just learned through their success or their failure and then apply it both to themselves and to the roles taken by the other players. 

Within the bounds of the game, the players learn and have fun doing it (players who don't have fun, don't remain players).  So my question is, what is it about this process that makes these people so willing to learn and how the hell do I apply that to modern education?

There's something there, I can almost taste it... Kids today simply don’t learn in the same manner that even my generation did.   There’s more then the fact that they’re having fun.  I’ve been on some incredibly un-enjoyable raids but I learned things about the game (subject matter) that was relevant to my role and goals.  This made my experience in the long run more rewarding, just like education should be.  So… what is it?

 

If you can't tell from the title I'm in an odd mood.  I get these once in a while, most notably when I'm happy, sometimes when I'm sad, but always when I've heard the siren call of inspiration.  I've spent a lot of time in the last few years feeling broken and without a clear focus in my life. I'm sure some of you have noticed it.  I've started projects, let them fall by the way side, pick up the next new shiny and repeat the process.  I'm sorry if that's made people angry, hurt, or felt ignored, that was never ever the intent.

( Would You Like to Know More? )

So.. erm... I hate trying to figure out how to end posts like these.  Its like we expect ourselves to post this profound moral summary about what we just posted.  I don't have one and honestly, I don't think I need one....

>.o

umm... this was posted on a website I frequent and I found it kinda funny.

Seeing as we're about half way through the holiday season (yes I know some of you had to go back to work yesterday...shhhsh. ;) ) I figured I'd post how mine has been so far.  If I was to describe it with only two words, they would be "Unforgettable" and "Amazing".  It's been a very long two (I think) years since the disastrous Holiday Season that witnessed the beginning of the end of my marriage.  Except for the time spent with my family, both my blood and my like-blood,  joy has felt like it was in short supply over the Holidays these last few years.

That's changed.  The Solstice was awesome and convinced me that I'm right where I should be.  Although I wish that I had been able to spend my birthday with everyone who loves me, the day spent with angelsorayama and her Nephilim was everything I had hoped for and more.  My family, again both blood and like-blood, also gave me a great gift on my birthday as well.  They gave me the gift of freedom to be with angel and her nephilim and didn't allow me to feel guilty about not being with them as well.  tall_man , finaira ,king_of_light , and ladylakira  thank you for understanding and I'm sorry I missed our Solstice Dinner.  celticcrone , you and Dad have always been so supportive.  Thank you.

Yule/ Christmas was likewise wonderful.  From setting up the little tree in my apartment with angelsorayama on Christmas Eve, to watching the Nephilim opening their gifts and spending the morning with them and their Mom, to the afternoon and dinner with my family and angel and the nephilim.  The laughter, the joy, it felt so good to feel that again at all times this Season, not just when I'm with those special people.

Hey, it's sappy but so very true.

This is a bit of fic that I wrote for a Changling: The Lost game that I play in called 54 Reasons.  My character is a Draconic Fairest, who was a Gladiator of sorts in Arcadia and a Nercotics Officer before he was taken.  It's about 7 pages long... fair warning.

I've been re-introduced to Neil Gaiman (thanks to angelsorayama and arabidmouse ) having already read his collaborate work with Terry Pratchette, Good Omens and having seen Stardust.  I've read American Gods and Neverwhere and enjoyed both books now (Ananasi Boys and the Illustrated Stardust are both waiting in the wings).

( Some Spoilers and Opinions )

Neil Gaiman is obviously a wonderful writer who seems to effortlessly turn a phrase and inspire others with his imagination.  He's a font of bubbling creativity who's only real fault as a writer that I can see is that he gives us so much he can't help but leave some things unfinished at the end of his books due to the massive quantity of interesting and wondrous characters, settings, and teasers he injects into his storytelling. 

If there would be one thing I would ask of him as a reader to an author would be that if he hasn't already (and is sitting on the manuscript) that he finish the tale he started for Richard in Neverwhere. As I mentioned earlier, American Gods ended in a satisfactory way leaving only a little bit of a feeling that there was more to tell there.

As an author Neil Gaiman has matured and fulfilled the promise that was so obvious in Neverwhere.  I'm going to look forward to reading more of his books.

One of the wonderful things about having to bus to St. Albert is that you have a large amount of time to sit and think. Today has been no exception.

This morning I was thinking about music and how how it affects us and how it represents us culturally and as individuals.

There is, if one chooses to hear it, a story in every vocal and instrumental piece that speaks to us. Sometimes the meaning is lost in allegory and metaphor, other times it's clearly presented but regardless, it's there.

I find myself wondering if music was the ancestor of language or it's inheritor. Did proto-man lift his head first in song to communicate his wants, needs, and desires? Did the sounding of crude drums call them to war or to meetings?

I guess we'll never really know for sure but the beat of drums stirs something deep and the sound of a human voice raised up bearing emotion can invoke powerful reactions as well.

Just something to think on I guess.

Hey Technophiles,

I just converted this for work.... but here's the original

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/rives_tells_a_story_of_mixed_emoticons.html

I'm up and running again.  Just in time for lunch. Almost everything is unpacked and set up. ;)

So on that note:

Thank you to Pat for the use of his truck and for moving me.  Also thank you to Crash, Linette, Levi, Laura, Owen, and Johnny for the use of their arms and backs, their organizational skills, and good humor.

I really appreciate it. :)